Civil, Defence & Space: Challenges and innovation in dual-use technologies
“As the global geopolitical situation remains complex and the race for new technologies that are relevant for security and defence continues, the EU and its Member States must reinforce cooperation on technologies that are critical for Europe’s long-term security and defence and efforts to reduce related strategic dependencies”, it says in the conclusions of the Roadmap on Critical Technologies for Security and Defence published by the European Commission in February 2022. Dual-use technologies offer new exploitation and market opportunities, also for companies that traditionally are not active in the defence sector. The space, defence and security sectors have the potential for synergies and cross-fertilisation between themselves and with other civil sectors to boost innovation, technology development, and their application. In a challenging international environment, the EU needs to maintain its technological edge, support its diverse industrial actors, and accelerate the green transition. In a communication from May 2022 on defence investment gaps, they affirm that the Commission will work on further measures (such as coordinated calls among existing EU instruments and EIB loans) to support critical technologies and industrial capacities by developing strategic projects, as well as consider possible amendments to the framework for dual-use research and innovation to improve synergies between civil and […]